


Rainy Day Blues

by mickeym



Category: Popslashslash
Genre: Comfort, First Kiss, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-08-04
Updated: 2003-08-04
Packaged: 2017-10-09 04:05:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mickeym/pseuds/mickeym
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris wants to see Joey smile again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainy Day Blues

It didn't happen very often that Joey got down. He was their bright spot, their optimist, their sunny day. But even the brightest spot dimmed once in a while. Chris just hated that he felt so helpless to do anything about it, that he never really knew what to say or do to bring the smile back to Joey's face.

He didn't care about Joey being optimistic for them, for him. He wanted Joey to be happy just because.

Maybe because he loved him.

Maybe because he loved him, a little more than the rest of the guys. In a different way than he loved the rest of the guys.

Maybe that's why it hurt a little more, when he didn't know how to make Joey smile...didn't know what to say or do. When he could only watch in frustration when JC snuggled Joey, and petted him, and talked softly in his ear. When Lance curled up beside him and watched Superman movies with him. When Justin chattered about whatever came to mind, Playstation games or video games, or just random things, touring, traveling, what New York was like, versus Orlando.

And Chris watched from the sidelines, unwilling to interfere, because the other guys were doing a fine job, coaxing the clouds away, restoring the shine to Joey's eyes. But he stored things away, too, like how Joey really only got down when the sun hid for days on end, or when he missed something big at home: a parent's birthday, anniversary, something.

Today was a combination of the two: Joey's mom's birthday was yesterday, and while he'd talked to her for an hour after their performance for the evening, it wasn't the same. Chris knew birthdays weren't a big thing in his family, but in the Fatone family, _everything_ relating to family was a Big Event. Joey knew the same as the rest of them that they'd be sacrificing things, and he was fine with it, but Chris knew it still upset him.

And today...today was a rainy day. A blue day, Justin's mom called them sometimes. The sky was dark and cloudy, the wind raw and wet, raindrops hovering just out of touch. Chris could see them hanging in Joey's eyes, and he wanted to hold him, touch him, tell him it would all be okay.

He wasn't sure where the others were; it was unusual to see Joey alone on a day like this, because if he'd picked up on the clues, so had the others. But nope, no sign of anyone when Chris let himself into his room - his and Joey's, since they were roomies for this week.

Joey was stretched out on his belly on his bed, staring at the television, though his eyes looked past it, looked foggy and distant. The whole room felt chilly, damp, sad. Chris shivered.

"Hey."

Joey grunted, rolled his head toward Chris. "Didn't you go with the others?"

"Where'd they go?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. JC said they were going out, did I want to come, and that was that."

Chris sat hesitantly on the side of Joey's bed. "Huh. No, I didn't know anyone was going anywhere. It's nasty out, man. Not exactly prime sight-seeing weather." His fingers itched to touch Joey, to stroke his hair, his face, the line of his back. Something...anything...to make him smile. To make the heavy weight dragging at the atmosphere in the room lift, even a little. He curled his hands in, fingernails biting into the skin of his palms. "Why didn't you go?"

"Not in the mood." Joey turned his head away from Chris, went back to staring past the TV. "I don't...want to be rude, man, but. Gimme some space? Please? I just-I'm--."

"Hey." And in spite of his discomfort, Chris didn't want to hear Joey say it out loud. Didn't want verbal confirmation. He wanted to make him smile, wanted to erase the clouds. "Hey, c'mere." He scooted closer and reached out, movement jerky and uncertain, but Joey didn't move away, just turned to watch him again. "It's-okay, Joe. If you, y'know. We all get down sometimes." Joey's skin was warm where Chris touched, fingers stroking very lightly over the nape of his neck. "I'm not...it's okay."

"Hate this," Joey said softly. He shifted closer to Chris, body hot where it touched along the line of Chris' leg. "I just-I miss them, sometimes. And home. I love this, here, doing this. I love you guys. But sometimes-"

"Shhh, no. It's okay, dude." Chris petted gently, running his hand up and down the length of Joey's back. It was hard to sit so still, so quiet, but he'd manage. It was worth it, to feel Joey relax beneath his touch, back muscles flexing and rippling as he shifted, stretched out, shivered softly. "I'd do anything to make it better," he continued very quietly, not sure he'd even said the words out loud, or just heard them in his head. "I'd do anything for you guys." And that was the god-honest truth; he'd give his life for any one of them. But for Joey-

"Me too, man." The muscles under his hand tightened, flexed again, and Chris blinked, afraid he'd said something wrong. It was just Joey turning, though, moving onto his side, curling closer to Chris. The hand he'd been petting with skittered down Joey's side, curved over his stomach. The skin where his t-shirt rode up was hot against his fingers, a slice of pale dotted with dark hairs, navel a shallow indent against taut muscle. Joey's eyes were dark, so dark. "Chris-"

His throat felt thick, tight, and he couldn't swallow, couldn't breathe. Not with Joey looking at him like that. "Yeah?"

Another long look, and he could almost see Joey pulling away from him, dark brown eyes losing their shine, growing cool again. "Nothing."

"No," he hissed. "No." He wasn't going to pull away. Chris would do anything for him and he thought maybe...maybe.... He slid his hand up Joey's stomach and chest, curled it around the back of his neck. Cupped his head and leaned in. "Smile," he whispered, and brushed his mouth over Joey's. He made a soft sound and jerked once, then Chris felt the tension when Joey moved closer, felt the heat against his leg increase. Felt Joey's mouth open against his in a gentle, tentative kiss.

He licked at warm, soft lips, then sucked the bottom one into his mouth before licking deeper into Joey's mouth. He tasted good, mint and chocolate, his tongue slick and slippery against Chris'. It was a long, sweet kiss and when Chris drew back, Joey stared up at him, a strange look on his face. Chris wasn't sure what to do or say, so he stared back, heat and nerves coiled tight inside his stomach, his heart pounding against his chest.

When Joey smiled at him, it felt like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, and it warmed Chris down to his toes.

~fin~


End file.
